Thursday, August 28, 2008

My mom is fitter than you!

Middle aged people are more likely to be active and enrolled in
extracurricular sports than youths are!

Really? Why is that?

Kids today are not encouraged to go outside. In fact we go to great
lengths to make sure they are not.

Video games. Drives everywhere. Computer time. No gym at school, my
personal fave.

As a result the parents of the kids I work with are often in better
shape than their kids.

Parents had complete athletic development by going outside and
pushing, pulling, jumping, climbing, skipping.

All those things go a long way to creating a very complete athletic
body that is capable of adapting and playing sports. Almost any
sport at that. And that is fun.

So if our kids are uncoordinated and winded, how much fun do you
think they are having?

The answer is NOT putting them on a treadmill, for too many reasons
to lay out here.

The answer is NOT joining a gym. Resistance is only one tiny aspect
of overall health.

That is why I train for complete athletic development. It doesn't
mean Olympic style. Just looking at the whole picture. Balance,
coordination, stamina, strength, health.

Look at all of it before we start trying to figure out what to do.

The difference in kids that I work with who get outside and play
and those who don't are staggering.

But don't just take it from me.

Check out what the experts have to say. Here is a blog I posted a
little while back.

GO TO MY BLOG HERE

It is still relevant now and I have a bad feeling that it will be
for a while.

Please read it. Check it out.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Obesity Recognition Doesn't Happen?

Parents don't recognize obesity in their own children.

Believe it.

Here is an article referencing research into this area.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6451015.stm

So it has to be asked how active are our children? Are we over
protective?

It's a difficult place to be but it is necessary to look at what is
really happening.

Take a look at how much time our kids spend being active every day.

That doesn't mean playing sport. It doesn't mean winning
competitions.

Just being active.

We joke about being kicked out of the house until the street lights
came on. It shouldn't be. It might have been the best thing that
could have happened to us.

All that climbing, pushing, pulling, crawling and jumping we did as
children is extremely important. It was during some of our critical
development periods. That means we take those skills through life
and can use them in all of our activities.

That makes everything that much more fun.

That means we are more likely to do something active and stay
healthy.

So I ask again: How active are our children?

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Fighting Childhood Obesity Seminar

News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact – Todd DeWolf, 902-219-0072

Over 30% of Nova Scotian Children Considered Clinically Overweight

Local Statistics Show the Need for Dramatic and Immediate Solutions

July 18, 2008 – According to the American Obesity Association, more than 30% of United States children, youths and adolescents are currently overweight or obese. The same number was reported by StatsCan for adolescents aged 12 to 17. The rate was even higher in the Eastern Provinces.

Over the past three decades, the rate of childhood obesity has doubled while the incidence of obesity in teenagers has tripled.

The National Health Service in England also reports that the childhood overweight concern is the most common nutritional disorder effecting U.K.-based children and adolescents and one of the most prevalent problems seen by pediatricians.

According to pediatricians this upturn among adolescents is of particular concern because overweight or obese conditions in adolescence often persists into adulthood. We need to instill the understanding that daily physical activity is not the exception, it needs to be the rule and fun.

The International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA) has begun providing solutions for local children and parents to help curb the rise of this national trend.

Todd DeWolf, the Youth Fitness Specialist through from the IYCA in the HRM, will be providing area families with education and a solution-oriented approach to physical fitness and nutrition.

On Friday August 15, 2008, all Datrmouth and Halifax area families are invited to a complementary information night at Graham's Grove Park, off of Lake Banook, on Braemar Dr. The event starts at 7:30pm.

Presenting will be Youth Fitness Specialist Todd DeWolf.

Please RSVP to Todd DeWolf at 902-219-0072. There is no cost for this event, but space is limited.

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Todd DeWolf

Youth Fitness Professional
BSc, PTS, NWS

902-219-0072
ToddDeWolf.com